4) 


Industrial Buildings 
Concrete Masonry 











Concrete Masonry provides Safe, Eco- 
nomical Construction for all types of 
industrial and mercantile buildings. 


Power House, Mooseheart, Ill. 


or tory Produ Co Ma: 





Industrial Buildings 
of Concrete Masonry 


ONCRETE masonry construction is being used today for 
thousands of industrial and mercantile buildings, including 
stores, shops, garages, factories and warehouses. 

The rapidly increasing popularity of concrete masonry is due to its 
many distinct advantages. Few other methods of construction com- 
bine to an equal extent economy of first cost, low maintenance, security 
against interruption to business by fire, substantial, pleasing appearance 
and long life. 

The advantages offered by concrete masonry for industrial structures 
are of equal importance whether viewed from the angle of continuous 
owner-occupancy, rental or resale. Concrete masonry offers sturdy, 
rigid construction that will withstand and dissipate the vibration of 
heavy machinery year after year. It will resist the most severe con- 
ditions of wear and tear likely to be encountered, protect the lives of 
building occupants, save valuable stocks, and insure the business 
against interruption by fire. Not only are concrete masonry buildings 
a safe investment, but their staunch, permanent construction proclaims 
the sound ideals of the owner, gives employes a sense of pride in the 
business and is sure to attract customers. 


Economical to Build and Maintain 


The initial cost of concrete masonry is usually no greater than that 
of ordinary industrial construction. It costs little more, if any, than 
for less dependable types, the difference seldom exceeding a year’s 
painting and repair bills on the latter. 





Maintenance costs are reduced almost to the vanishing point where concrete masonry construction 
is used. 





4 Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 





There is so little depreciation with concrete masonry that first cost 
and ultimate cost are practically the same. This economy is usually 
emphasized further by many incidental but direct benefits such as 
freedom from rats and vermin and reduction of insurance carried on 
building and contents. 


Concrete Masonry Cuts Fire Losses 


According to a recent statement by the National Board of Fire 
Underwriters, fire losses in America during 1922 amounted to a half 
billion dollars. Damage due to exposure far exceeded that from any 
other cause and was approximately 20 per cent of all fire losses of 
known origin. Exposure is the term used to classify fires that are 
communicated from some outside source, as where one building is 
ignited by flames from another. Fires of such origin may be entirely 
eliminated in properly constructed buildings where the walls are of 
concrete masonry and the roof is covered with fire-resistive concrete 
roofing tile, cement asbestos shingles, or reinforced concrete slab con- 
struction. 

Interruption to business is one of the most expensive consequences 
of fire. Losses of this kind are largely non-insurable, except in the 
broader sense by building of freproof materials. Loss of business 
property by fire wipes out stocks, destroys records and interrupts 
profit-earning activity for long periods and in the meantime one’s 
customers are being served by his competitors. Insurance policies 
often cover only a minor fraction of the losses actually sustained. 

No owner can afford to disregard the greater safety to life and 
property, that comes from building with modern concrete masonry. 





Concrete masonry walls are quickly erected—the large units are easily and quickly handled and take 
only a small amount of mortar. 





Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 5) 





Strength and Rigidity 


The extraordinary rigidity of concrete masonry makes it especially 
suitable for the walls of industrial buildings which contain heavy, 
rapidly-moving ma- 
chinery likely tocause 
vibration. Concrete 
floors are particularly 
effective in absorbing 
vibration, thereby 
prolonging the life of 
the machinery and in- 
creasing general effi- 
ciency. The usual 
method of supporting 
concrete floors oncon- 
crete masonry walls 
is to rest them on the 


inner half of the hori- 


j . Concrete masonry walls have such extraordinary stability that they 
zontal wall section J readily absorb the vibration of the heavy machinery in this printery 





metal fabric or wire 

mesh being laid over the exposed openings in the block or tile to 
prevent concrete from falling into the spaces below. Veneer block are 
placed on the outer edge leaving a small continuous air space be- 
tween veneer block and floor slab. The floor is not extended over 
the entire width of the wall as the slab is likely to detract from the 
appearance of the wall. 








Concrete masonry walls permit large window areas admitting the daylight so necessary to 
efficient workmanship. 








6 Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 








Attractive Exteriors Easily Produced with Concrete Masonry 


While industrial buildings are erected primarily for utility, appear- 
ance is also important in most cases. A business institution, whether 
large or small, is judged by the type of building or buildings in which it 
is housed. Tenants or prospective buyers are more readily interested 
if the appearance of the structure is attractive. 





Utility and beauty are combined in this concrete masonry filling station at Toledo, Ohio. 


Standard flat-faced concrete masonry units without special surface 
treatment are commonly used for large mill, factory buildings and 
warehouses, and for such purposes are often considered of suitable 
appearance. For finer looking buildings, however, flat surfaced 
granite-faced block are recommended, or an attractive finish of textural 
portland cement stucco may be applied to the surface of plain block. 
For the more pretentious structures, flat, granite-faced block with a 
modest display of precast concrete architectural stone gives treatment 
that is dignified and appropriate in every way. 

The owner or architect may select practically any color or surface 
texture from a wide range which can be secured; in this way, surfacings 
may be chosen which are perfectly adapted to the requirements of the 
building and its surroundings. 


An Ideal Base for Portland Cement Stucco 


Portland cement stucco heretofore widely applied as a surfacing for 
residences and other buildings of moderate size, may now be used with 
equal facility on industrial buildings. The use of concrete masonry makes 














Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry re 








artistic plastered surfaces very desirable, providing as it does, the ideal 
backing for stucco. So strong is this bond that it is usually impossible 
to separate the stucco from the masonry base without removing part 





Sa ee Pe ee 
Any of these four portland cem 


ent stuc 
ance to_concrete masonry buildings. 


of the latter. Our booklet ‘‘PORTLAND CEMENT STUCCO” gives com- 
plete specifications for applying stucco and contains a number of panels 


illustrating attractive stucco finishes. Copy will be sent free upon 
request. 





Concrete masonry has no equal as a base for portland cement stucco 


Bours Coffe 


No industrial b 
is too severe for 


¥ ei 


| 





ilding requirement 
Soncrete Masonry. 











10 Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 








Building Units of Uniform Strength, Size and Shape 


Concrete masonry units guaranteed to conform to American Con- 
crete Institute specifications are now made in factories where every 
operation in their manufacture is closely supervised. The units are 
molded in convenient sizes and shapes, after which they are carefully 
cured in order to develop maximum strength. Each unit is true to size 
and shape with even faces, and straight, well defined edges. These 
characteristic qualities account in a large measure for the ease and 
speed with which they are laid. 

Practically every community throughout the country is within con- 
venient shipping or trucking distance of a concrete products factory or 
building supply dealer who carries ample stocks of concrete building 
materials. The builder is, therefore, reasonably certain of prompt 
delivery. 


Common Types of Concrete Block and Tile 

Concrete block and concrete building tile are the most popular and 
most generally available types of concrete masonry units. Block are 
made in several sizes, the 8 by 8 by 16-inch unit being commonly 





Common types of concrete block and concrete building tile. 


recognized as standard. Each block of this size has a volume approxi- 
mately equal to 13 brick. Laid in single thickness, concrete block pro- 
duce a masonry wall, 8, 10, or 12 inches thick, with courses 8 inches 
high. Veneer and partition block can be had in 4 and 6-inch widths. 
These are well suited for all non-bearing purposes. Walls of practically 
any required width may be built either by using a single thickness of 
block or by the proper combination of block of the same or different 





Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 11 





widths. For example, 8, 10, and 12-inch walls can be obtained by using 
single thicknesses of either solid or hollow block of these widths. A 
12-inch wall can also be secured by a combination of 8 and 4-inch units; 
a 16-inch wall can be made with 2 thicknesses of 8-inch block or by a 
combination of 4 and 12-inch block. Walls of greater thickness are 
obtained in a similar manner. 





Hollow wall construction insures dryness and provides insulation against heat and cold. 


Concrete building tile are smaller in size and have somewhat 
thinner wall sections than block, the standard size being 5 by 8 by 12 
inches, equivalent in volume to 6 common brick. The height of 5 
inches is equivalent to two courses of brick. As in the case of block, 
concrete tile are suitable for constructing walls of practically any thick- 
ness that may be required. Walls 8 and 12 inches thick are obtained by 
a single thickness of the tile, according to the way it is turned in the 
wall. The 12-inch thickness is also obtained by a combination of an 
8-inch tile and a 4-inch tile, the latter being made in the 4-inch width 
especially for the purpose. Other combinations of 4 and 8-inch units 
will give walls 16 or 20 inches thick. 


Insulation Afforded by Hollow Masonry Walls 


Air spaces affording insulation against heat and cold are provided 
in concrete masonry walls, either by means of cores formed in the units 
or by a two-piece construction that produces a continuous opening be- 
tween the inner and outer sections of the wall. In the latter case, the 
two wall sections are bonded together by means of metal ties or by the 
overlapping of concrete lugs that are cast integral with the block. In 
both the hollow and the two-piece block the proportion of air space 
varies up to 40 per cent of their volume, but in most common types it 
approximates 33 per cent. The air spaces in concrete tile occupy from 
50 to 75 per cent of their gross volume. Where extraordinary strengths 
are required, such as in courses directly supporting concentrated load- 
ings, solid units are used. 





12 Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 





Building Code Requirements Easily Met 


The most exacting building regulations are easily met and usually 
exceeded with concrete masonry. Individual units are capable of 
carrying from 10 to 30 times the load ordinarily imposed upon them in 
building construction. When laid in portland cement mortar, which 
should always be specified in first-class work, walls of exceptional 
strength are produced. The high initial strength of concrete masonry 
walls is not only maintained throughout the life of the structure but 
actually increases with age. 


Concrete Masonry Satisfies Every Construction Requirement 


Concrete masonry readily satisfies every construction requirement. 
It is used for load bearing exterior walls, non-load bearing walls, curtain 
walls or partitions. In most cities building codes specify strength re- 
quirements for standard construction materials and designate wall 
thicknesses and other details governing their use. Eight inches is 
usually specified as the minimum thickness for exterior load bearing 
walls and is generally allowed for one story industrial buildings having 
ceilings of medium height. For buildings with high ceilings, however, 
thicker walls are usually specified unless other provisions are made to 
obtain the required stability. Partition walls, floors, and roof, properly 
constructed, contribute a certain measure of stability to exterior walls 
and are considered in careful design. 

In buildings with long stretches of walls or with high ceilings, added 
stability is commonly secured by means of concrete masonry pilasters 
or buttresses built at intervals along the wall. Where great wall 
stability is required, as in buildings several stories high, concrete 





Factory building of the Auburn Automobile Co., Auburn, Ind. Concrete masonry pilasters give addi- 
tional stability to the walls. 





Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 13 





masonry pilasters may be made solid by 
filling the cores of the units and the 
central enclosure with a fairly rich mix- 
ture of concrete. Vertical reinforcing 
steel may be used conveniently. Con- 
crete masonry pilasters are also fre- 
quently used to encase steel columns. 


Wall Thickness Determined by 
Loading 


The thickness of bearing walls in 
heavily loaded buildings is properly 
governed by the load to be carried. 
The allowable working load on concrete 
masonry units when laid in lime-cement 
mortar is commonly placed at ;4 the 
average crushing strength or when laid 
ae portland cement mortar at 3 the Common method of building concrete 
average crushing strength. In most masonry pilaster. 
codes, load-bearing block and building 
tile are required to have an average crushing strength of at least 700 
pounds per square inch over the gross cross-sectional area of the unit 
as laid in the wall. This means that a standard 8 by 8 by 16-inch 
block is required to sustain a total load of at least 90,000 pounds be- 
fore failure. A minimum wall thickness of 8 inches has been com- 
monly adhered to regardless of load, largely for reasons of stability 
and convenience in construction. 

Portland cement mortar is specified in first-class construction 
because of its strength, density and strong bonding power. Concrete 
masonry units are designed to provide an adequate bed for mortar, 
a feature which insures a wall of maximum rigidity. 

Manufacturers regularly carry stocks of corner block, door and 
window jamb block, 
sills; lintels; and sal! 
other specials re- 
quired to produce 
first class construc- 
tion with economy 
of labor. 


All- Year-Round 
Construction 
Material 





Industrial buildings 
may be built of con- 
crete masonry almost 
as well in winter as 
in summer. During 


Lape we z eae ST SEE the winter of 1923-24, 
ervice and attractiveness have been builtinto this office bui Ing 
5,000,000 concrete 


through the use of concrete masonry. 








14 Industrial Buildings of Concrete Masonry 





masonry units were used in building construction in Michigan. 
Of this number 1,800,000 block and 2,000,000 building tile were laid 
in the city of Detroit alone. Minneapolis used over 2,000,000 block 
during the same time. These examples are representative of con- 
ditions throughout many parts of the country. 





Partition walls in this modern office are constructed of concrete masonry. 


For winter construction, concrete masonry has several unique 
advantages. Walls are erected quickly. The large size of the units 
reduces the volume of the joints, with less mortar material to heat. 
The warmth retained in each block or tile as laid protects this small 
volume of mortar against freezing. Protection of the wall until the 
mortar has hardened, which is necessary only in extremely cold weather, 
is not usually attended by any great difficulty. Due to favorable 
labor and material conditions, winter construction seldom costs more 
than that carried on at other seasons of the year. Any slight additional 
costs are usually offset by saving of interest on investment and by 
increased returns due to earlier occupancy. 


No Requirement Too Severe for Concrete Masonry 


Unforeseen demands may be imposed upon a building by change 
in occupancy or other causes, but buildings of concrete masonry have 
such extraordinary reserve that they readily satisfy all ordinary 
requirements regardless of the character of the tenancy. 

Sound, economical, fireproof and attractive, concrete masonry 
enjoys steadily increasing popularity for industrial and mercantile 
building requirements. Concrete masonry construction may be 
depended on to serve indefinitely with modest upkeep and slight if, 
any, depreciation. 





The popularity 


of Concrete 
Masonry has re- 
sulted in its use 
in thousands of 
industrial and 
mercantile build- 
ings through the 
country. 












Economical 
Construction 


Every detail of Concrete Masonry Con- 
struction is fully explained in our booklet, 
‘‘A Manual of Concrete Masonry Con- 
struction.’ Copy will be mailed to you on 
request. 


PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION 


A National Organization to Improve and Extend the Uses of Concrete 


D'LS-T RIC? (Oe EEC ESAs Tt 


Atlanta Dallas Kansas City New York Salt Lake City 
Birmingham Denver Los Angeles Oklahoma City San Francisco 
Boston Des Moines Milwaukee Parkersburg Seattle 

Charlotte, N. C. Detroit Minneapolis Philadelphia St. Louis 

Chicago Indianapolis Nashville Pittsburgh Vancouver, B. C. 
Columbus, O. Jacksonville New Orleans’ Portland, Oreg. Washington, D. C 





Printed in U.S. A, P-2—25M—4-25—8 


